Trust networks, compassionate helping and employee performance
ISSN: 0048-3486
Article publication date: 24 April 2023
Issue publication date: 26 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Although extant research on trust focuses on the dyadic relationship (trustor-trustee), the effectiveness of an employee's outcome may vary depending on the features of trust networks. This study examined how an employee's centrality in two types of trust networks (cognitive and affective) among coworkers is associated with employee job performance. Further, this study highlighted the mediating role of compassionate help in the effect of affective trust networks on individual performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data were collected from 204 employees and 39 team leaders in South Korea. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results indicated that cognitive trust centrality is positively associated with employee job performance, but affective trust centrality is not. However, an affective trust centrality indirectly increases individual performance via compassionate helping from coworkers.
Originality/value
This study contributes to a better understanding of trust networks and compassionate helping and expands both trust literature and HQR research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper was developed from the first author’s PhD thesis. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of Academy of Management (AOM), 2019. The authors thank Associate Editor David Coldwell and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions. The authors are also grateful to Hongseok Oh, Minsoo Kim and the participants of the KONS seminar group for their invaluable feedback and advice.
Citation
Kim, J. and Chung, M.-H. (2024), "Trust networks, compassionate helping and employee performance", Personnel Review, Vol. 53 No. 2, pp. 605-620. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-08-2021-0593
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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